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The Attic Child

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The Attic Child

By: Lola Jaye
Narrated by: Lucian Msamati, Nneka Okoye
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About this listen

Longlisted for the Jhalak Prize 2023.

Two children trapped in the same attic, almost a century apart, bound by a secret.

1907: Twelve-year-old Celestine spends most of his time locked in an attic room of a large house by the sea. Taken from his homeland and treated as an unpaid servant, he dreams of his family in Africa even if, as the years pass, he struggles to remember his mother’s face, and sometimes his real name....

Decades later, Lowra, a young orphan girl born into wealth and privilege, will find herself banished to the same attic. Lying under the floorboards of the room is an old porcelain doll, an unusual beaded claw necklace and, most curiously, a sentence etched on the wall behind an old cupboard, written in an unidentifiable language. Artefacts that will offer her a strange kind of comfort, and lead her to believe that she was not the first child to be imprisoned there....

Lola Jaye has created a hauntingly powerful, emotionally charged and unique dual-narrative novel about family secrets, love and loss, identity and belonging, seen through the lens of Black British history in The Attic Child.

©2022 Lola Jaye (P)2022 Macmillan Publishers International Limited African American Historical Fiction Heartfelt Inspiring Scary Tear-jerking Thought-Provoking

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Critic reviews

"This is important storytelling about issues of race and privilege...and a book that will stay with me for a long time." (Tracy Chevalier)

"Just brilliant." (Dorothy Koomson)

"Powerful and emotional." (Lisa Jewell)
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Wow! This book had me binging! I was very moved by this story. Well written and wonderfully narrated.


Wonderful!

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From start to finish this book was a joy.
Was a great listen and well performed.

Delicious

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A brilliant book, capturing the impact of separation, loss, cultural identity, belonging, and legacy. This story is told across generations and the timeline is so seamless, it enables the reader to be immersed within the history, and the life experiences of the characters. For example, it is through the totality of Dikembe experiences, that we feel the power of trauma, resilience, self-determination, love, and African pride. This is a multidimensional book, transporting you across locations, including Africa (Kongo) and England. It is beautifully written, depicting the varying degrees of human consciousness, against a backdrop of power and control, choices, and ethics.
Thank you Lola, this book is a gift.
Ziyah

The Attic Child Review

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I really enjoyed this book though at times hard to listen to as we ignore or are ignorant to lot of the terrible historical things people did and suffered through. I felt really connected to each character and couldn’t wait to listen to it

Enjoyable, touching and informative

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The storytelling is complex and interesting. I really enjoyed this sad tale of our terrible history.

A very moving story

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Oh wow! Just finished listening to this one and loved it. I should say that this may be one of the most emotive and profound stories I've ever listen/read.

Although an historic fiction, The Attic Child can bring all kind of emotions to our senses. It is definitely a brilliant story about race, white privilege, colonialism, loss and abuse. But it is also a story about hope, love, determination and forgiveness.

I love how the book told both stories in their own way, yet, connecting them.

The book follows the story of Dikembe/Celestine and Lowra as they end up in the same Attic decades apart.

It is a powerful, raw and heart-breaking story at times... but still.. sublime and uplifting. I would definitely recommend!

What a powerful story!

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I loved every minute of this book, going back several times just to hear parts again. Well delivered, I was eager to see how it all turned out yet not wanting it to end.
This has to be by far one of the best books I've purchased, thank you for making it so.

Brilliant

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Two children who seem to be so different, sharing something so strong.
I don't want to post any spoilers but the way the story unfolds is brilliant.
It challenges perceptions, it challenged me to think about history in a way I had not done before.
The narrators did an excellent job with the characters. They really brought them to life.
Definitely one of my favourite books.

Powerful and moving

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I loved the way this story was narrated and the various accents used. I loved the way it switched back and forth in time between the two main character. The story was so intriguing and had me drawn in as if I were part of the narrative. Though it touched on very sensitive racial issues as well as abuse, the story of overcoming despite it all and the love superseded everything. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a bit of lighthearted but serious history. So beautifully written.

A most amazing and intriguing story

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I felt so much empowerment and hope in this story despite the many obstacles the main character faced. Dual narrative was interesting and kept me engrossed in the story to find out more.

Heartwarming and heartbreaking

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